Flying-machine.



M. SHAOKLEFORD.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBG. 24, 1910.

Patented June 11, 1912.

2 BHBETS-SHBET 2.

WITNESSES C/f/ M.;

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

MARION SHACKLEFORD, OF OATMAN, ARIZONA.

FLYING-MACHIN E.

and balloon combined.

soy

My machine is easy to control during flight, traveling readily with and against currents of air, and turning from its course of travel and rising or descending at the instigation sof the operator.

An important object of this invention is to provide a flying machine which is capable of fulfilling its function proficiently, withl out subjecting the operator to the dangers generally encountered inthe type of machines known as heavier-tlianfair flying machines.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are. employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is 4a side View of my flying machine, Fig. 2 is a forward end view, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the side plane or wing, Fig. 4 is a plan View of the machine, with the gas bag removed, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the means for securing the side wings to the body structure.

In the drawings, wherein is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, theV numeral 1 designates a'body-plane, which is `a gliding structure. `This body-plane comprises a suitable frame 2, carrying two layers of canvas or other suitable material 3,

whereby the same may be inflated with gas. It will be seen that this body-plane may be rendered lighter than or substantially equal in weight to the atmosphere. Disposed above and adjacent the body-plane 1, 1s a gas-bag 4, which is secured to the bodyplane by means of suitable cables 5. This gas-bag may preferably have the elongated cylindrical shape, as shown, both ends thereof tapering to points which lie adjacent the body-plane.

The travel of the flying machine in a hori- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 24, 1910. Serial No. 599,228.

Patented June 11, 1912.

zontal plane, is controlled by forward and rear vertical rudders 6 and 7. Theforward rudder is disposed below thebody-plane 1 and is suitably pivotally connected to the forward pointed end of the framework Q of said body-plane 1, as showinv Asclearly illustrated in F ig. 4, a guide bracket 8 is suitably connected by means of pin 9fwith the frame-work of the body-plane 1. The transverse 'portion 1-0 of this guide bracket is disposed within an opening 11 formed' through the rudder 6. Thev guidebracket 8 allows' the rudder G to be swung in either direction in a horizontal plane but prevents the same from being swung in'a verticall plane. At the rear end of the body-plane 1. f

are secured a pair of arms 12, connected with the frame-work of the body portion,

as shownat. 13. These arms 12 carry'aportured heads 14, near which are disposedk knuckles 15, havin-g suitable openingformed f therethrough for receiving a pin 16. knuckles 15 are `suitably connected with the rear rudder 7, whereby the sam'e is hinged to the body-plane 1 and is free to oscillate in a horizontal plane only. A guide 'bracket y The 17 has suitable connection with the .frame work 2, as shown at 18. This guide bracket ,extends rearwardly of the body-plane 1 and within an opening 19 formed through the rudder 7. with the gas-bag 4 by means of a cable 20 which prevents any tendency which the' rnd# der might have to oscillate ina vertical has the transverse portion thereof disposed y The rear rudder 7 is connected I plane, but not interfering with the movel ment of the same in its horizontal plane.y

Means are provided for simultaneously moving the forward and rear rudders 6A and 7 in, opposite directions, to cause-'the machine to change from its line of Hight. Such means comprises a pair of cables 21, which are connected with the rudders 6 and 7 as A The pin 1G which is adjacent the rear rudder 7 'car-V shown at QQ and 23 respectively.-

ries a transverse rod 24, which is; rigidly se# cured to the same in any.A suitable manner.

This transverse rod isprovided at Iit'sfree ends with pulleys 25 about which are trained the pairs of cables 21. The forwardv portion of each of the cables `21 trainefd about a pulley 2G, having suitableconnection with the framework 2. A' lever 27 is employed, the same having suitable connection with a drum or spool '26', :about lwhich one of the cables 21 is wound. vBy the proper oscillation of this lever the cable 2l may be moved longitudinally to eil'eetv the simultaneous movement of the pair of riadders 6 and Tas above stated. The drum 26 has. suitable Connection with aplatform Vwhich is disposed below and' suspended from the body-plane 1, as clearly illustrated in Figs. l Iand` 2.' The' platform 28 is sus` pended by means of shafts .29 and is equipped with paiis of wheels 30 and 3l, which are connected to' the/same by means of brackets 32.-

Any suitable means (notshown) may be employed to steer the front wheels 30, preterably such means as are employed upon au tomobiles for a corresponding purpose. The platform 28 has disposed thereon, and preferably near itscenter, any well known or preferred type of explosive engine 33, which is adapted to operate transverse horizontally disposed shafts 34. These shafts carry at their outer ,ends bevel gears 35, lwhich engage bevelfgears rigidly mounted upon vertical shafts 37. The `pair of vertical shafts 37 carry propellers 38. Attention is called tothe fact ,that the propellers 38 are. operated in opposite 'directions which is caused by one of thebevel gears 36 being positioned above bevelgear 35 while the otherbevel gear 36 isdisposed. below the other bevel gear-r35, as Clearly illustrated. The function of the propellers 38 isfto raise or lower the machine, depending' of course,

upon the direction of rotation of such proAV pellers. A pair of shafts 39 are disposed above and longitudinally of the platform S28, suchshafts carryingr upon their inner ends bevel gears 40, which are driven by i bevel vgears. 4l carried by the transverse shafts 34. Thefshafts 39 carryat their rear ends propellers 42, which rotaterin' a substantially vertical plane and are preferably driven in opposite; directionssf The function of the propellers 42 islto efedt the travel ot the machine in a horizontal plane. y The platform 28is designed to support the operA ator, who hasthe engineV 33 and 'other controlling. parts of the'` machine under his supervision. Y

Means are provided toprevent the machine fronrtilting laterally and. to raise 'and lower the forward end or nose of the same. Such"meanseomprise side wings or planes 43. Eachy of these side wings or planes is formed of a suitable framework 44 and two .layers of canvas or other suitable n'xaterial 45, whereby aspace is provided therebetween for the storage of gas. These wings or sidenplanes may thus vbe made lighter than the air. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the lower lsection of canvas 45 is preferably retained in position to form a surface having coneaved portions 4G.' The trame-work 44 above referred to comprises strips 47, which are adapted to retain the lower secoseillate longitudinally of the body-'plane or tion of canvas in its pro er position, a shown. lil-ach of the wings or side planes i conneetefrl with the body-plane l in such a manner that Lhe said side plane or wing may transversely thereof, or in other words oseillate in directions which arent right angles to each other. As clearly illustrated in Fig". the frame-'work 2 is provided upon each side the-reet with brackets 48 to ,which are hinged rods 4S) and 50. The rod 5G is rigidly connected with the'rod 49. asshown at. Pivotally mounted upon the rod 49 is a pair oi arms tapable ot' beingr swung @ore gitudinally' et' 'the hody-plane l. 'il'nese arms extend below and are suitably eennected with the framef-Jfork of the. witg, or side-plane 4?, whereby the latter is Capable of beiner swung longitmlinally of the said body plane l. Eaeh or" the wings or sid planes is oseillated transv ly of the 'oodvplane l, by means of a wie 5o which is connected with a na'eket attannedv to rod 49, see Fig. 5, and which is trained about a suitable pulley 54 secured to the gasbag above said wing'. 'This (zahle 53 is endless and extends below the wingr 43 to be wound about a drum This t funi is suitably mounted. upon `the platform and may beheld 'fast and suitably reta?. my lever The rear end ot' the wing a3 is iiscillated hy nie-ans of an .endlesaeable which is trai ed about a pulley above said wing, and wound about. a drum. 57 snitably mounted upon the platform, and preferably adjacent the iii-st named drinn. Suitable means are to be provided to held the drum a :inst rotation and then rotate the samete oseillate the. wing longituuuiallv of the bodvplane, as shown at 58, whereliy the nose ot the machine .is iowered or raised.

The exi st from the explosive engine is condileted by a. pipe 53 to the gasbag 4.

In `the operation of the V'ving.mar-hine, the same is propelled forwardly in a horizontal plane by the propellers erator may 1guide the machine 'from its straight. line. oi tiight by swinging' the fon ward a nd rear rudders (S and 7 in opposite direetions, as above described. When the side planes or wings are in their normal linrizfgintal position, for serving a gliding structure, it the propel! s 33 are beine' rotated to raise the maenine, the wings 43 may be tilted downwardly transverselyfof the bod y- .tra i ne the least res -tance to the upward movement. et the in; l'then the propellers 3% are beha to cause the machine te lhe wings d3 may he oseillated npwardly trausverselyof the body-plane l in a similar manner.

the 'forward end or nose 'to rise, the wings 43 are swung upwardly longitudinally of the' The op i?, whereby the .same 'will offer body-plane 1. lVhen the wings are swung downwardly longitudinally of the body plane 1, the nose of the machine will be lowered. Attention is called to the fact that the wings or side planes 43 may be oscillated in two directions which are to be substantially at right angles to each other.

I wish it understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that certain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoi'ned claim.

Having thus I claim Ina flyin machine of the characterl described, a re atively long supporting plane, a gas bag strapped to the upper surface of the supporting plane, frames hinged upon opposite sides of the Vsupporting' plane approximately midway the ends thereof to be swung vertically in a direction transversely of the supporting plane, means including cables for swinging said frames and holding them against movement, relatively small infully described my invention,

tegral wings pivoted to the frame to be-vertic-ally swung so` that their angle of incidence may be varied, means including cables to swing said wings and hold them against movement, a supporting structure depending from the supporting plane, means mounted thereon having connection with said cables, oppositely rotating elevation propellers mounted on the supporting structure upon opposite sides thereof, oppositely rotating direction propellers mounted upon the rear end of the supporting structure, common means to drive all the propellers, a rear direction rudder pivoted to the supporting plane, a forward direction rudder pivoted to the support-ing plane beloiv the same, cables to swing the direction rudders simultaneously, and operating means mounted upon the supporting structure to move the-last named ca les. o

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARION L. SHACKLEFORD.

'itnesses M. L. GALLAGHER, C. H. MC'CLURE. 

